New, exclusive FOX Model a game changer in short term weather prediction for tracking tropical systems

The FOX Forecast Center has officially launched the FOX Model, an exclusive high-resolution forecast model that uses the latest computing technology, on FOX Weather.

"This is a game-changer for us," FOX Forecast Center executive meteorologist Mike Rawlins said. "And now, we're investing in new technology to run the model faster and at a higher resolution, improving our forecast accuracy every day."

New servers will process the data faster than ever, providing FOX Weather viewers with an exclusive first-look at approaching storms, per Rawlins.

Thanks to the expertise of meteorologist Jim Weber at FOX 13 Tampa and the resources of TempoQuest, this model was initially developed to predict hurricanes more accurately and will guide the FOX Forecast Center in other extreme weather events.

FOX Weather has made additional investments into the exclusive FOX Model that will result in more computing power, faster data processing and more detailed, high-resolution information for the FOX Forecast Center.

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Future enhancements will also allow the FOX Model to shift its coverage area on the fly to focus on other areas of the nation experiencing severe weather. And the FOX Forecast Center will be able to tailor the model's calculations to focus on the most pressing weather event in the forecast, be it a tropical system, a winter storm in December over the Plains, or a severe weather outbreak in Tornado Alley.

Numerous computer models are run on tropical systems many times a day. Weather observations from ground locations, upper air balloons, satellites and aircraft, such as NOAA's Hurricane Hunters, provide the models with information on what's happening now.

"Since it's our model, we can really tailor this model towards exactly what we're looking for," said FOX 13 Tampa meteorologist Jim Weber, who created the FOX Model. "In this case, we're looking at the tropics, and we're looking at tropical systems. And so, we gear the physical properties of this model to look at tropical systems and do a really good job at forecasting that."

FOX Weather will also input its data into the model. 

"Bringing in pilot reports and just regional observations that we get, we can push those right into the model to help improve that forecast," Weber said.

The FOX Model will run four times a day and provide a forecast out to 84 hours.

Read more of this story from FOX Weather.